# Why are men's shorts down to the knees and beyond? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 20, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252 "2014-06-20T23:27:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/1 "2014-06-20T23:27:02Z")
Why? What ever happened to the 6" inseam, the way they used to be. And when did this happen; I haven’t been paying attention. Last I saw shorts to mid-calf was when I lived in the 'hood in Oakland. Now that is all you see in the stores. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/2 "2014-06-20T23:36:57Z")
Blame pro basketball. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/3 "2014-06-21T00:03:13Z")
Nobody wants to see hairy man-leg. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/4 "2014-06-21T00:09:17Z")
I notice that literally right below this thread is another called “Do testes hang lower with age?” I don’t know the consensus in that thread but it could be a reason why women can go shorter. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/5 "2014-06-21T00:13:05Z")
ventilation without the exposure (if knee socks). like my grandpa decades ago. ---
**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/6 "2014-06-21T00:13:57Z")
It’s a \*\*race to the bottom \*\*(of the leg). ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/7 "2014-06-21T00:32:02Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Nobody wants to see hairy man-leg. Excuse me, some of us are very happy seeing a little hairy man-leg. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/8 "2014-06-21T00:47:15Z")
I don’t know, but when I see old pictures of myself in shorts that are half way down my thigh I think I look rather ridiculous, like Jack Tripper in “Three’s Company.” Fashions change. Twenty years from now who knows what we think will be ridiculous: tattoos? Hoodies? Yoga pants? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/9 "2014-06-21T01:13:28Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Excuse me, some of us are very happy seeing a little hairy man-leg. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/10 "2014-06-21T01:19:26Z")
I blame Michael Jordan. I think he was the first basketball player to insist on longer shorts. The other players copied him (of course) and then all the kids followed along. Personally, I can’t stand them. I like my shorts really short, but the shortest I can find have 7-inch inseams. Fairly short by today’s standards, but still too long for me. And please don’t say anything about ugly or hairy men’s legs. I bicycle a lot and my legs are probably my best feature. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/11 "2014-06-21T01:24:21Z")
We looked at what the homies started wearing in the early 90’s and we recognized a good thing when we saw it. ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/12 "2014-06-21T01:29:05Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > Excuse me, some of us are very happy seeing a little hairy man-leg. If you’re seeing a little hairy man-leg, the shorts might be a wee bit too tight … ifyouknowhwhatImean. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/13 "2014-06-21T02:05:19Z")
There’s been an attempt to make shorter shorts come back into fashion. It isn’t working as far as I can tell. [http://www.abercrombie.com/shop/us/mens-shorts](http://www.abercrombie.com/shop/us/mens-shorts) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/14 "2014-06-21T02:09:16Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > There’s been an attempt to make shorter shorts come back into fashion. It isn’t working as far as I can tell. > [http://www.abercrombie.com/shop/us/mens-shorts](http://www.abercrombie.com/shop/us/mens-shorts) WTF? Only the first pair looks short to me; the rest are perfectly normal. Maybe it’s different where I live. ETA: Well, maybe the second pair too. ---
**Author:** ![Inna\_Minnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Inna\_Minnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inna_Minnit)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/15 "2014-06-21T02:09:32Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Nobody wants to see hairy man-leg. Speak for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/16 "2014-06-21T03:00:02Z")
I like the longer shorts (to the knee, anyway). Much more comfortable and deeper pockets. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/17 "2014-06-21T03:22:46Z")
This is probably better suited to IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/18 "2014-06-21T03:26:37Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > WTF? Only the first pair looks short to me; the rest are perfectly normal. > Maybe it’s different where I live. > > ETA: Well, maybe the second pair too. Most of those shorts are shorter than the ones that I own. Of course, I live in Chicago, so I don’t replace my shorts too often. I like them to be right at the knee. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/19 "2014-06-21T03:47:42Z")
Back in the '80s it was Jams and they were really long, in wild prints. I like the knee length and think it’s flattering to most men and yeah, the pockets are great. I hope the short shorts don’t come back in vogue. When I see a guy in them I flash back to when I saw my then 60 yr old brother in a pair of speedos. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2014, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252/20 "2014-06-21T03:59:38Z")
I find longer shorts aggravatingly pointless. When I decide to wear shorts it’s because I want them to be short. Not long while just _called_ short. And I don’t care about looks or fashion, I wear shorts for comfort when it’s hot. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-mens-shorts-down-to-the-knees-and-beyond/691252.md?page=2)